


the fourth booth from the back

by darwinsdonut



Category: Red vs. Blue
Genre: Fluff, M/M, One-Shot, denny's au
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-21
Updated: 2018-08-21
Packaged: 2019-06-30 15:34:10
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,073
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15754602
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/darwinsdonut/pseuds/darwinsdonut
Summary: The local Denny's plays home to all sorts of adventures.[To Be Updated]





	the fourth booth from the back

Maine was... _Concerned._

This guy had been passed out in the back of the Denny's since Maine arrived, and Maine wasn't entirely convinced the guy was even _breathing._ He was just a head of bleach-blonde hair slumped over in a gray hoodie, statuesque, a part of the scenery. In a Denny's at midnight. 

Maine was _concerned._

Maine had never really been a go-getter. He was proactive when the situation demanded it, but he didn't volunteer first or speak comfortably in front of crowds (when he had a voice) or approach strangers. But this... _Felt_ like a situation that demanded it. 

Maine left a ten on the table, tucked under a plate with his receipt, enough to cover his food and a tip. He left his booth and took long strides to the table second from the very back, where the guy rested. Sure enough, he was breathing- his parted lips just barely widened with the movement of air. Maine shook the guy's shoulder, reflecting this would be easier if he had a voice, and the stranger showed no response. He tried again, and still nothing. Now Maine was actually concerned- something may have happened to this guy. 

Maine's waitress showed up to take his receipt and cash, and looked over at him. "Oh- don't worry too much about him. He does that a lot." 

Maine's brow furrowed. He frowned down at the guy. It just seemed _worrisome._ Either way, Maine couldn't just... _Leave_ him there. Was it creepy to sit in a booth with a sleeping stranger? Maine glanced at the guy, and then at the waitress, and then went back to his booth and sat down. The waitress frowned at him. 

"He's really okay." 

Maine shrugged and pointed at the coffee on the menu. The waitress shrugged back and walked off, returning a moment later with a fresh mug of coffee. She set it down and left again, and Maine settled into his booth, prepared to wait out however long it took for this fellow to wake up. Just to make sure he was okay. Because the alternative was Maine going back to his apartment, where _Butch_ was probably still awake, and Maine had worked a long shift and didn't really have the energy to deal with Butch Flowers tonight. 

The Denny's rotated customers in and back out; Maine read a western he had on hand as he sat there and drank coffee after coffee after coffee. Connie, the waitress, tried a few more times to talk him out of worrying about the stranger, and Maine just shook his head and continued to wait. 

It was two a.m. by the time the stranger finally stirred. 

He jolted awake, glanced around blearily, and then yawned and called, "Heya, CT!" 

"Got your coffee on the way," she called back, and a moment later returned with it. Maine pretended not to watch as the stranger took a few sips of the drink, evidently burning his tongue. Then Maine glanced at him, and made accidental eye contact. The stranger froze, staring back, and then took a slow sip of coffee. Maine chuckled soundlessly, and the guy snorted, spilling coffee down his mouth, which made Maine laugh more as the stranger turned bright red. 

Connie, or CT, apparently, returned with some creamer for the stranger. "That guy over there has refused to leave your side." 

Now Maine turned red, as the stranger glanced at him and said, "That guy?" 

"Yeah! Was worried about you, I guess. Tried to wake you up earlier, and when you didn't respond he just sat down." 

Maine's cheeks heated, and the stranger sent him a lopsided grin. "That's a little creepy, I'm not gonna lie." 

CT winked. "I think he's got good intentions. You should go talk to him!" 

The stranger looked over at him. "What's your name?" 

Maine's skin prickled, and he tapped his throat and signaled he can't speak. 

"Oh. Well, I know the sign language alphabet, if that helps!" 

Maine grinned and spelled his name. The stranger watched, thought for a second, and then, "Maine?" 

Maine nodded. 

"Oh, huh. I'm Washington." 

_Washington._ It fit. The sleepy stranger with his shale gray eyes hooded by sleep deprivation, pale and freckled cheeks, messy bleach blonde hair. He looked like he'd fit in on a rickety pier somewhere, Starbucks in hand, listening to Kevin Abstract. Well- that was a big assumption. But it seemed logical. 

"Mind if I come sit with you?" 

Maine, in all his probable creepiness, was surprised by the question but nodded nonetheless. Washington rose from his booth with his coffee and moved to Maine's. He sat down and looked at Maine. 

"So- what are you doing at a Denny's this late?" 

Maine considered, and then spelled out, W-O-R-K. He paused, and then added, O-V-E-R-T-I-M-E. 

Washington considered for a moment, and then said, "Second shift? Got off late?" 

Maine nodded. 

"When did you get here?" 

One finger, two fingers. 

"Twelve? Huh. What time is it now?" 

Two fingers. 

"Oh, shit." Washington chuckled lightly. "You waited here that long for me?" 

Maine reddened again, and cleared his throat. He pointed at the stranger, and then did the okay-sign. 

Washington smiled. "That... That's sweet. I don't think I've met a stranger that actually cared to keep an eye on me when I passed out somewhere." 

Maine's eyes flashed with alarm. _Does this happen often?_

"I work graveyard shift with a two hour break," Washington said. "I usually sleep through the break. My sleeping schedule is..." 

E-R-R-A-T-I-C? 

Washington chuckled. "Yeah. That. Uh- I'm actually really late going back. But we could meet here again? Same time tomorrow night?" 

Maine nodded. He very much wanted that. 

Washington cast him a final smile and finished off his coffee. "Maine. Right. I'll remember that name- the guy who stays at a Denny's till two a.m. to make sure a complete stranger's okay." 

Maine grinned, and Washington stood from the booth and said, "Tomorrow night, then. And maybe next time, I'll buy." 

He walked out of the diner, and Maine prepared to leave. CT returned. "So you're paying for his coffee?" 

Maine's brow furrowed. 

"He said you were." 

Oh, that _asshole._ Maine pulled out two more dollars and handed them to CT, and then stood and left. Out beyond the parking lot, he could see Washington walking off, gray hoodie in the moonlight. 

Maine was a little bit hopelessly in love with him already.


End file.
